Savannah Slugs Way to 7-3 Triumph

CHARLESTON- Albert Cordero and Rafael Fernandez smacked two-run home runs, and Savannah knocked off Charleston, 7-3, in front of 3,011 fans in South Atlantic League action at Joseph P. Riley, Jr. Park on a steamy Sunday evening.

 

With the victory, Savannah improves to 28-15, 67-45, while Charleston falls to 17-26, 43-69 overall.

 

Savannah began quickly in the first against Charleston's Nathan Forer, getting consecutive two-out RBI singles from Blake Forsythe and Cordero in taking a 2-0 lead.

 

Cordero increased that lead to 4-0 for the visiting Sand Gnats, knocking a two-run home run off the top of the left-field scoreboard and out of the park for his sixth circuit clout of the campaign.

 

Wilfredo Tovar contributed a sacrifice fly in Savannah's half of the fourth, making the score 5-0.

 

Forer (1-5) lasted 3.0 plus innings in his first start off the DL, allowing five runs on eight hits in absorbing the loss.

 

Mike Recchia relieved Forer and retired the first 10 hitters he faced, but ran into trouble in the seventh, when Rafael Fernandez cranked a two-run home run down the right-field line moving the needle to 7-0 Savannah.

 

Erik Goeddel stifled the RiverDogs bats over the first 4.0 innings in his first outing since May 23, but gave way to Yohan Almonte, who set down the first seven batters he saw until Charleston cracked through for three runs of their own.

 

Anderson Feliz singled, Garrison Lassiter doubled, Jose Toussen brought them both in with a 2-run triple for a 7-2 deficit. Toussen scored one batter later on Shane Brown's RBI groundout making the count 7-3.

 

Almonte (6-6) settled down to pitch 4.0 innings out of the Savannah bullpen to notch the victory, while South Carolina native Hamilton Bennett worked the ninth to finish the affair.

 

Monday's series finale is set for 7:05 p.m. and features Charleston right-hander Manny Barreda (4-2, 4.45 ERA) toeing the slab against Savannah right-hander Ryan Fraser (7-7, 3.44 ERA).